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The differences between technical laboratory specialists and technical support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technical laboratory specialist and a technical support specialist. Additionally, a technical laboratory specialist has an average salary of $59,377, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.
The top three skills for a technical laboratory specialist include clinical laboratory, patients and chemistry. The most important skills for a technical support specialist are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Technical Laboratory Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,377 | $48,667 |
| Hourly rate | $28.55 | $23.40 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 147,595 | 157,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.6 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Technical Laboratory Specialist is a skilled worker who performs technical diagnostic or mechanical tests in scientific or medical laboratories. Technical laboratory specialists sample, test, measure, record, and analyze results as part of the scientific team. Their job involves technical support so that laboratories can operate effectively according to the right health and safety guidelines and procedures. For this job, one should develop administrative skills, knowledge in mathematics, use initiative, and focus on details.
A technical support specialist is responsible for assisting customer's and businesses' concerns and system issues by performing troubleshooting and remote solutions. These specialists must have extensive knowledge of system applications, including software and hardware database to handle complex processes that might affect the end user's experience or the business' daily operations. Technical support specialists should maintain excellent communication skills to guide the client and business on solving network problems. They must also document concerns and progress promptly for reference and quality checks.
Technical laboratory specialists and technical support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Laboratory Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $59,377 | $48,667 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $88,000 | Between $30,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Burlingame, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Sutter Health | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technical laboratory specialist and a technical support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Technical Laboratory Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Biology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical laboratory specialists' and technical support specialists' demographics:
| Technical Laboratory Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |